The Sports Marketing Playbook

The Sports Playbook: Winning Brand Partnerships in 2026

With the June 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the sports marketing landscape is entering its most competitive era yet. For brands, the challenge isn’t just getting on the field — it’s standing out in a sea of global fandom and fragmentation.

At the Digiday Sports Playbook virtual forum, taking place April 23 at 11 a.m. ET, top brand and agency leaders will break down their strategies for 2026 and beyond. We’ll explore how to move past standard sponsorships to create authentic, high-impact partnerships with brands, leagues, teams and athletes that drive long-term cultural relevance long after the final whistle.

We will also explore:

• How the World Cup 2026 and generative AI will change the face sports marketing
• Shifting the focus from “likes” to “loyalty” by building multi-year partnerships with athletes who own their own audiences.
• Navigating the shift from linear TV to streaming and social, ensuring your brand is where the next generation of fans actually lives.
• Leveraging first-party data to measure the real-world ROI of team and league deals.
• How AI is shaking up the sports media and marketing roster and playbook
• The power of the athlete across the sports influencer/creator economy